About this role.
Zscaler is seeking a Senior Director of Strategy & Operations for its Customer Success organization. This remote role involves leading business operations, services portfolio management, and strategic planning across global support, technical success, and professional services teams. The director will drive operational rigor, partner with finance on resource planning, and champion AI and automation initiatives to enhance customer outcomes. The ideal candidate thrives in ambiguity, acts with ownership, and demonstrates strong cross-functional leadership. This is a high-impact role reporting to the VP of Strategy & Operations, focused on scaling operations and improving business performance.
Role DNA
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Job Complexity
5/5Pace & Pressure
5/5Autonomy Level
5/5Communication Load
5/5Salary analysis
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Core skills
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Cover letter sample
Dear Hiring Manager,
I am excited to apply for the Senior Director, Strategy & Operations - Customer Success position at Zscaler. With over a decade of experience leading operational strategy and business transformation in high-growth technology companies, I have developed a proven track record of driving scalability and customer-centric outcomes. My expertise in building cross-functional alignment, executing strategic planning cycles, and leveraging AI to optimize workflows directly aligns with Zscaler's mission to amplify impact.
I particularly resonate with Zscaler's focus on 'impact over activity' and its commitment to fostering a culture of ownership and accountability. In my previous role, I led the integration of automated systems that improved operational efficiency by 30%, while also managing complex vendor portfolios and resource planning for global teams. I am eager to bring my strategic rigor and collaborative leadership to support Customer Success and help shape the future of a secure, AI-forward enterprise.
Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to Zscaler's vision.
Sincerely, [Your Name]
Sample interview questions
I would start by deeply understanding the company's strategic priorities and the key metrics that define customer success, such as retention, expansion, and time-to-value. Then, I would facilitate strategic planning sessions with leadership to translate these into operational objectives, ensuring every department's initiatives support the overarching vision. I would establish clear communication channels and regular cadences to maintain alignment, and use data to track progress and adjust as needed.
In a previous role, I identified that our services onboarding process was fragmented across multiple teams, leading to delays and customer dissatisfaction. I led a cross-functional task force to map the current state, redesign the workflow, and implement a unified project management system. By automating status updates and clarifying ownership, we reduced onboarding time by 25% and improved the overall customer experience.
I would start by identifying high-volume, repetitive tasks such as ticket routing, reporting, and forecasting. I would then evaluate AI-driven tools that can analyze customer data for predictive insights, like churn indicators or upsell opportunities. By integrating these tools into our workflows, we can reduce manual effort, provide real-time recommendations to teams, and enable more proactive customer engagement.
I embrace ambiguity by breaking down the problem into manageable components and gathering relevant data from stakeholders and experts. I use a structured framework to evaluate options, considering risks, dependencies, and potential impact. I also prioritize transparency and communicate progress early, so the team feels included in the journey. I'm comfortable making a decision with the information available and iterating as we learn.
Building partnerships comes from shared goals and mutual respect. I make an effort to understand each team's priorities, constraints, and KPIs, and then partner with them to find win-win solutions. I establish regular touchpoints to keep everyone informed and create joint dashboards so we can celebrate successes together. I also practice candid, respectful communication and ensure that credit is shared across teams, which builds trust over time.
About Zscaler
Zscaler accelerates digital transformation to ensure our customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. As an AI-forward enterprise, we are constantly pushing the envelope, leveraging the world’s largest security data lake to power our cloud-native Zero Trust Exchange platform. This innovation protects our customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location.
Here, impact in your role matters more than title and trust is built on results. We say, impact over activity. We seek innovators who actively use AI to amplify their impact and who thrive in an environment where we leverage intelligent systems to stay ahead of evolving threats. We believe in transparency and value constructive, honest debate—we’re focused on getting to the best ideas, faster. We build high-performing teams that can make an impact quickly and with high quality. To do this, we are building a culture of execution centered on customer obsession, collaboration, ownership, and accountability.
We value high-impact, high-accountability with a sense of urgency where you’re enabled to do your best work and embrace your potential. If you’re driven by purpose, thrive on solving complex challenges, and want to be part of the team that’s helping to secure the AI age, we invite you to bring your talents to Zscaler and help shape the future of cybersecurity.
Role
We are looking for a Sr. Director, Strategy & Operations, Customer Success to join our team. This is a Remote role, reporting to the VP, Strategy & Operations, Customer Success in the Customer Success department. This role is critical to supporting the global Customer Success organization across Customer Support, Technical Success, and Professional Services. The Senior Director will lead Strategy and Delivery Operations for Customer Success, driving strategic alignment, operational rigor, planning excellence, and cross-functional engagement to improve business performance, scalability, and customer outcomes.
What you’ll do (Role Expectations)
- Lead Strategy and Delivery Operations for the Customer Success organization, with responsibility for CS Business Operations, Services Portfolio Management, NPI, and Vendor Management
- Drive operational rigor and business discipline across the organization, including Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs), Annual Operating Planning (AOP), business cadences, and executive performance reviews
- Partner with Finance and Customer Success leadership on resource planning, capacity planning, and investment prioritization to ensure the business is positioned to scale effectively
- Identify and lead opportunities to apply AI, automation, and data-driven insights across Customer Success operations to improve decision-making, streamline workflows, increase team productivity, and enhance the customer experience
- Serve as a key cross-functional partner to Sales, Product, Finance, IT, and Engineering, representing Customer Success needs and driving alignment across the broader business
Who You Are (Success Profile)
- You thrive in ambiguity and are comfortable building the path as you walk it in a dynamic environment, seeing ambiguity as the raw material to build something meaningful.
- You act like an owner with a passion for the mission that fuels your bias for action, operating with integrity and navigating seamlessly between high-level strategy and hands-on execution.
- You are a problem-solver who seeks out challenges and is energized by finding solutions, knowing that solving hard problems delivers the biggest impact.
- You are a learner with a true growth mindset, actively seeking feedback to develop yourself, become a stronger teammate, and work with purpose.
- You are a high-trust collaborator who is ambitious for the team, embracing ongoing candor, clarity, and respect to earn trust and build strong partnerships.
What We’re Looking for (Minimum Qualifications)
- Demonstrated curiosity and active exploration of AI tools, with a proven history of integrating new technologies to enhance daily workflows and augment problem-solving
- Experience in Strategy & Operations, Business Operations, Customer Success Operations, or related operational leadership roles
- Experience supporting or partnering closely with Customer Success, Customer Support, Technical Success, or Professional Services organizations
- Proven success leading and building high-performing teams, including leadership of senior individual contributors and people managers
- Strong experience driving business planning, operating cadences, KPI development, performance management, and cross-functional execution
- Experience operating in a high-growth B2B SaaS or technology environment
What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications)
- Experience identifying and applying AI, automation, or advanced analytics to improve operational efficiency, business insights, and customer outcomes within Customer Success or adjacent functions
#LI-NH1 #LI-Remote
Zscaler’s salary ranges are benchmarked and are determined by role and level. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations and could be higher or lower based on a multitude of factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.
The base salary range listed for this full-time position excludes commission/ bonus/ equity (if applicable) + benefits.
At Zscaler, we are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve and the customers we work with. We foster an inclusive environment that values all backgrounds and perspectives, emphasizing collaboration and belonging. Join us in our mission to make doing business seamless and secure.
Our Benefits program is one of the most important ways we support our employees. Zscaler proudly offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families throughout their life stages, including:
- Various health plans
- Time off plans for vacation and sick time
- Parental leave options
- Retirement options
- Education reimbursement
- In-office perks, and more!
Learn more about Zscaler’s hybrid working model and benefits here.
By applying for this role, you adhere to applicable laws, regulations, and Zscaler policies, including those related to security and privacy standards and guidelines.
Zscaler is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We strive to create a workplace where employees are treated with respect and have the chance to succeed. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy or related medical conditions), age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. See more information by clicking on the Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal link.
Pay Transparency
Zscaler complies with all applicable federal, state, and local pay transparency rules.
Zscaler is committed to providing reasonable support (called accommodations or adjustments) in our recruiting processes for candidates who are differently abled, have long term conditions, mental health conditions or sincerely held religious beliefs, or who are neurodivergent or require pregnancy-related support.
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